# NTSB CHI93LA175: Piper PA-25-235, N8787L, Mexico, MO, May 19, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 19, 1993, 09:55 local (14:55 UTC) - Place: Mexico, MO - Coordinates: 39.159534, -91.870536 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1595&lon=-91.8705&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report August 17, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9210 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI93LA175 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9210/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI93LA175 ## Probable cause a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the soft field landing site. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - aerial application - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING A SPRAY RUN. HE BRIEFLY APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, PUMPED THE THROTTLE AND LEANED THE MIXTURE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE SUFFICIENT POWER TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A SOFT, FALLOW FIELD AND NOSED OVER. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRFRAME. DURING THE REMOVAL AND SUBSEQUENT PREPARATION OF THE ENGINE FOR A TEST RUN IN A DIFFERENT AIRFRAME, SOME WATER WAS NOTED IN THE FUEL GASCOLATOR, OIL WAS SEEN IN THE LEFT MAGNETO, A BROKEN HIGH TENSION LEAD WAS REPLACED, AND A DIFFERENT CARBURETOR AIR BOX WAS FITTED. THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY, EXCEPT FOR A SLIGHT ROUGHNESS AT FULL RATED POWER. ## Factual narrative On May 19, 1993, about 0955 central daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235 airplane, N8787L, registered to Northern Aviation, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and a forced landing in a field near Mexico, Missouri. The solo commercial pilot received serious injuries. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight departed Mexico, Missouri, about 0950 in visual meteorological conditions. The pilot reported a partial loss of engine power during a spray run. He said the engine coughed, and he saw black smoke come from the exhaust. He said he applied carburetor heat briefly and when that did not restore full power, he first pumped the throttle and then leaned the mixture. The engine continued to lose power, and a forced landing was made in a soft, fallow field. The airplane landed hard and nosed over. A witness to the accident recalled hearing the engine misfire just prior to the forced landing. The airplane was refueled at the departure airport shortly before the accident flight. On June 15, FAA inspectors observed an engine run of N8787L's engine. The engine had been removed from N8787L and installed on another Piper PA-25 airframe. During the engine removal, the mechanic doing the removal observed water in the fuel gascolator bowl. He also said he had to change the carburetor air box and remove the left magneto for the engine to fit on the new airframe. When the left magneto was removed, the mechanic noted oil had leaked into the casing, which he attributed to the position of the engine during shipping to his shop. The mechanic also replaced a broken high tension lead on the right magneto, which he thinks was broken during engine removal or shipping. The FAA inspectors observed the engine run at idle for approximately ten to fifteen seconds, and then increase to full rated power of 2650 RPM with slight roughness. No mechanical anomalies associated with the engine were discovered during the engine run. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8787L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8787L-2013-05-15), registration cancelled 2013-05-15, S/N 25-5473, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-25-235 - Registry model: [Piper PA-25-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (registry code 7102504) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25-5473 - Airframe hours: 2697 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-B2B5 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Kapica, Steven S. - Registered owner: Northern Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: H41 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, unknown; seat: front; flight hours: 958 total, 150 in this make and model, 855 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point -0 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930519014459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930519014459A), May 19, 1993: Piper PA25235, Mexico, MO, Substantial damage. (-4)The pilot reported a partial loss of engine power during a spray run. He briefly applied carburetor heat, pumped the throttle and leaned the mixture, but… ## Other investigations on N8787L (3) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB DEN91LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN91LA088), Jul 9, 1991: Piper PA-25C-235 (N8787L), Las Cruces, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION. A FACTOR WAS: PILOT'S INADEQUATE AIRPLANE PREFLIGHT. - [NTSB MKC82DA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC82DA154), Aug 20, 1982: Piper PA-25-235 (N8787L), Fisk, MO, destroyed - [NTSB FTW75FRD46](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW75FRD46), May 9, 1975: Piper PA-25 (N8787L), Leroy, LA, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.